WASH Officer

Organizational Context

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) is the world’s largest humanitarian network, with 191-member National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. IFRC uses the Triple R – response, resilience and respect – to deliver on Strategy 2030. IFRC responds to disasters and crises, ensuring timely, coordinated and locally led humanitarian action. IFRC supports its members in building community resilience in the areas of climate and environment, health and wellbeing, and migration and displacement. IFRC promotes respect for our fundamental principles of humanity, impartiality, neutrality, independence, voluntary service, unity, and universality, including in our work on values, power and inclusion. The IFRC focuses throughout on our core mandate – our raison d’être – of strategic and operational coordination, humanitarian diplomacy, National Society development, and accountability.

IFRC is led by its Secretary General and has its Headquarters in Geneva and five regional offices in Africa (Nairobi); the Americas (Panama); Asia Pacific (Kuala Lumpur); Europe (Budapest); and MENA (Beirut) as well as representation offices, service centres and delegations across the globe.

The IFRC has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment and other forms of harassment, abuse of authority, discrimination, and lack of integrity (including but not limited to financial misconduct). IFRC also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles.

A Wash Officer is responsible for implementing Water, Sanitation and Hygiene interventions, particularly in emergency response and early recovery phases, but also in longer-term development and resilience-building programs. The WASH Officer works closely with local Red Cross/Red Crescent National Societies, community volunteers, technical teams, and external partners (like UN agencies or NGOs) to ensure that WASH activities are appropriate, effective, and align with humanitarian principles and IFRC standards.

The WASH Officer(s) positions will be based in Goma and another in Kalemie and will be reporting to Coordinator Projects and Field with technical support from the regional WASH Advisor.

Job Purpose

The WASH Officer provides technical guidance, quality assurance and capacity strengthening for the WASH programmes and operations of the NS of the cluster, with priority to the DRC Red Cross Society. The role ensures that emergency and longer-term WASH interventions meet Sphere and IFRC standards, are integrated with health, shelter and climate programming, and are delivered accountably to affected communities.

The position leads WASH preparedness and response for disasters and water related disease outbreaks, supports programme design and resource mobilization in this sector, and strengthens the National Societies' WASH systems, human resources and pre-positioned capacity for sustainable, locally led action.

Job Duties and Responsibilities

The role will support implementation of all country level emergency and recovery WASH programming in conjunction with NSs of Kinshasa cluster delegation. The aim of working with the NS is to build the skills and capacity of the NS to enable them to manage country level WASH interventions. The officer is also responsible for technical oversight of IFRC WASH programs and operations, involves representation of IFRC at WASH technical level coordination meetings.

Technical leadership and programme quality

• Provide technical guidance to the National Society of the cluster on water supply, sanitation, hygiene promotion, vector control and solid waste management in emergencies, recovery and development settings.
• Support technically the CVM and CVA in the related sector
• Ensure WASH programmes and operations comply with Sphere standards, IFRC WASH guidelines, the Movement's WASH commitments and national WASH policies.
• Ensure technical reviews of WASH proposals, designs, bills of quantities, specifications and procurement requests.
• Promote integration of WASH with health (cholera, malaria, nutrition), shelter, livelihoods, Protection, Gender and Inclusion (PGI) and Community Engagement and Accountability (CEA).
• Promote climate-smart and environmentally sustainable WASH solutions, including solar-powered water systems and climate-resilient infrastructure.

Capacity strengthening of National Societies

• Assess and strengthen the WASH capacities of the National Society of the cluster at headquarters and branch level.
• Design and facilitate training for staff and volunteers (e.g. hygiene promotion, emergency WASH, water quality testing, cholera response) based on WASH training needs identified in the National Societies
• Support the development of National Society WASH strategies, standard operating procedures and technical guidelines.
• Support National Society WASH focal points and support their participation in regional and global WASH networks.

Emergency preparedness and response

• Support WASH components of IFRC emergency appeals and DREF operations in Democratic Republic of Congo, from assessment to plan of action, implementation and final reporting.
• Support preparedness and response, including Case Area Targeted Interventions (CATI), household water treatment and community-based surveillance links.
• Support contingency planning, pre-positioning of WASH stock and readiness of emergency response units and National Disaster Response Team (NDRT) WASH members.

Programme development and resource mobilization

• Contribute to the design of multi-year WASH and integrated programmes with National Societies and partners.
• Develop concept notes and proposals for institutional donors, Partner National Societies and pooled funds.
• Contribute WASH analysis to IFRC country and cluster plans, and National Society unified plans.

Monitoring, evaluation and reporting

• Establish WASH monitoring frameworks and indicators aligned with IFRC and donor requirements.
• Ensure timely, quality narrative and financial reporting on WASH components.
• Support baseline surveys, post-distribution monitoring, water quality monitoring, KAP surveys and evaluations.
• Document and disseminate lessons learned and good practice.

Job Duties and Responsibilities (continued)

Collaboration and representation

• Represent IFRC in national WASH clusters or sector working groups alongside the national Societies WASH coordinators/Head of WASH, and with ministries responsible for water, health and disaster management.
• Coordinate with Partner National Societies, ICRC, UN agencies (UNICEF, WHO), NGOs and donors alongside the national Societies WASH coordinators/Head of WASH to avoid duplication and maximize impact.
• Contribute to IFRC Africa regional WASH initiatives, communities of practice and technical working groups.

Management and compliance

• Ensure WASH activities comply with IFRC financial, procurement, logistics and security rules.
• Uphold IFRC's policies on prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse (PSEA), child safeguarding, fraud and corruption prevention, and the Code of Conduct.
• Perform other related duties as assigned by the line manager related to the sector.

Education

• Relevant University degree in Civil Engineering, Water Engineering, Environmental Engineering, Public Health, Hydrogeology, Sanitary Engineering, or a related field(Required)
• Specialized training in WASH in Emergencies (WiE), Public Health/WASH in Emergencies (PHiE), or equivalent humanitarian WASH programmes(Preffered)
• Training in Community Engagement and Accountability (CEA) and Protection, Gender and Inclusion (PGI)(Preferred)

Experience

• Minimum of 3 years of progressively responsible experience in WASH programming and operations(Required))
• Minimum of 2years work experience in an international setting(Preffered)
• Proven experience in implementing, monitoring and evaluating WASH programmes(Required)
• Experience managing project budgets, procurement processes and technical contractors(Preffered)
• Field experience in emergency contexts in humanitarian operations in WASH(Required)
• Experience coordinating with government authorities, UN agencies, NGOs and other humanitarian partners(Required)
• Experience working for a humanitarian aid organization in a developing country(Required)
• Experience of working for Red Cross/Red Crescent(Required)

Knowledge, Skills and Languages

• Good knowledge of WASH management, as well as mechanisms, tools and guidelines for programming and coordination at different levels(Required)
• Strong technical knowledge of water supply systems, sanitation facilities, hygiene promotion and WASH in Emergencies.(Required)
• Strong project cycle management skills.(Required)
• Good analytical thinking skills(Required)
• Knowledge of GIS, Kobo Toolbox, ODK or similar data collection platforms.(Preffered)
• Experience with climate-resilient and sustainable WASH programming.(Prefffered)
• Skills in developing and facilitating training, as well as in preparing and delivering presentations(Required)
• Demonstrated core proficiency in (a) digital communication & collaboration, (b) basic digital content creation, (c) digital safety & security, (d) data literacy, and (e) problem solving with technology (including responsible use of AI assistants.(Required)
• Understanding of and commitment to IFRC’s mission and values(Required)
• Fluently spoken and written French (Preferred)
• Good command of another IFRC official language (English, Spanish or Arabic)(Required)

Competencies, Values and Comments

• Values: Respect for diversity; Integrity; Professionalism; Accountability
• Core competencies: Communication; Collaboration and teamwork; Judgement and decision making; National society and customer relations; Creativity and innovation; Building trust